February 5, 2025
The Super Bowl, like marijuana, brings people together while providing a new opportunity for cannabis brands and operators to capitalize on one of the world’s largest events.
Brand activations, special product releases and big sales discounts are all in the playbook this year as the industry preps for Sunday, when the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX at New Orleans.
Arizona-based Mint Cannabis has already received more than 200 orders for infused pizzas for game day.
The company operates one of the nation’s only state-licensed kitchens allowed to infuse marijuana in prepared foods.
The cafe inside its Guadalupe retail store in suburban Phoenix draws global visitors, according to co-owner and chief operating officer Raul Molina.
From Feb. 7 to Feb. 9, patrons can order the Mint’s “Big Game Meal Deal” for $49.95, which includes two pizzas, eight wings and four cupcakes.
Each pizza and wings order is infused with 100 milligrams of THC, and each cupcake contains 10 milligrams of THC.
“Our Big Game Meal Deal is really popular – our customers look forward to it every year,” Molina told MJBizDaily.
Other cafe options, such as sandwiches, tacos and sides, can contain up to 100 milligrams of THC for recreational consumers.
THC potencies are uncapped for medical patients in the state.
Double dip
Good News Cannabis is dipping into condiments again after a successful rollout last year of its marijuana-infused buffalo sauce.
The Cresco Labs brand this year is partnering with Boston chef and restaurateur Asia Mei to develop a THC-infused Asian barbecue wing sauce.
“All I had to do was bring my sauce strengths to the table, while relying on Good News to totally elevate the game by bringing their expertise and resources with THC infusion,” Mei told MJBizDaily via email.
“It might actually help mellow out that overly aggressive sports fan we are all friends with, too,” added Jason Erkes, spokesperson for Chicago-based multistate operator Cresco.
Last year, Good News partnered with The Fifty/50, a Chicago sports bar known for its award-winning wings to launch a cannabis-infused buffalo wing sauce.
The Big Game sauce, which contains 100 milligrams of THC, was a viral hit, quickly selling out of units at select Sunnyside dispensaries in Illinois.
Good News is selling the sauce again this year at select Sunnyside stores in Illinois and Massachusetts.
Bayou busters
For those closer to the game action in New Orleans, Storz & Bickel will have an activation near Bourbon Street at the Sports Illustrated party at Mardi Gras World, where attendees can take delta-9 flower hits from their popular Volcano vaporizer.
Multistate operator Good Day Farm, one of Louisiana’s two medical marijuana cultivators, is sponsoring a celebration Feb. 8 at the H&W Dispensary in New Orleans, featuring live music, giveaways, games and a second line parade.
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Jeeter scores collab with NFL stars
California-based brand Jeeter partnered with former NFL stars and cannabis entrepreneurs Ricky Williams and Calvin Johnson to release a limited-edition collectors pack in Arizona, California, Massachusetts and Michigan that includes exclusive pre-rolls and packaging celebrating the NFL greats.
“At Primitiv, we’ve always focused on sports, health, and recovery, but industry-wide collaborations open new doors for education and innovation,” Johnson told MJBizDaily via email.
The Detroit Lions Hall of Fame receiver and former teammate Rob Sims in 2021 established the cannabis company, which has cultivation and retail operations in Michigan as well as a store in Boston.
Williams, a Heisman Trophy-winner, launched the Highsman cannabis lifestyle brand in 2021 – nine years after he retired, for a second time, from the NFL.
NFL’s new cannabis policy outdated?
Despite a growing list of current and former football players who talk openly about cannabis consumption in the league and its benefits to their health and recovery, the NFL has been far less receptive to overhauling its marijuana policies, unlike other professional sports leagues.
Under the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement signed in 2023, players can hold minority investments in cannabis companies and marijuana was eliminated from the prohibited substance list altogether.
The NFL and its players union in December amended their substance policy to increase THC thresholds and minimize financial penalties associated with marijuana tests, but they failed to eliminate punishment completely.
Cannabis executive and former NFL lineman Eugene Monroe believes the policy is behind the times.
“We know it’s a substance that you should be recommending for athletes and also educating them on best practices for various injuries or ailments,” said Monroe, the first active player to advocate for cannabis research.
Today he’s the co-founder of New Jersey-based vertically integrated marijuana company Collective 60 and chief operating officer for House of Kush, a cannabis brand specializing in genetics and legacy strains.
“Athletes understand that cannabis is a better option than the pharmaceuticals that they’re provided – and it’s an alternative,” Monroe added.
“It’s embarrassing that the NFL is stuck in the mud on this issue.
“We need to move past this.”
A time to celebrate
As the cannabis industry evolves, retailers and brands will have new opportunities to cross over into mainstream events, helping to normalize the plant and commercialism.
The Super Bowl is the latest example, and Valentine’s Day is right around the corner.
Johnson and Primitiv are embracing the game.
“These moments are prime opportunities for promos, activations, and product launches that introduce cannabis to new consumers in an organic way,” he said.
“They also drive visibility and strengthen consumer relationships, making them essential for industry growth.”
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